Trade unions are calling hundreds of thousands of workers to mobilize on 9 to 11 November 2017, to protest against the government’s anti- labour policies. Workers are also urged to prepare for indefinite countrywide strike action.

A national convention on 8 August in Delhi, organized by ten central trade unions in association with all independent national federations of workers of both industrial and services sectors, expressed serious concern over the pro-corporate and anti-people policies of the Modi government.

The convention adopted a four point action programme including a massive campaign to mobilize workers across the country and three days of demonstrations in Delhi on 9-11 November 2017 and preparations towards indefinite countrywide strike action against anti-people policies of the government.

A declaration stated that the unemployment situation is getting worse with drastic cuts in social expenditure, price rise of essential commodities and a deepening impoverishment of workers in unorganized sector.

The Modi government is undermining the social dialogue by refusing to implement consensus recommendations on equal pay and benefits for contract workers and minimum wages norms given by the successive Indian Labour Conferences, the apex social dialogue forum in the country.

Unions condemn anti-worker labour law reforms. They oppose the government’s move to evolve the social security code by dismantling existing social security infrastructure and usurp the massive social security fund subscribed by workers amounting to more than 300 billion US$, and instead make them available for speculation in share market under the camouflage of ‘universalisation of social security’.

G. Sanjeeva Reddy, IndustriALL executive committee member and president of IndustriALL affiliate INMF and of the national centre INTUC, said:

"There is great unity within India's trade union movement. The anti-labour policies of the Modi government are compelling trade unions to launch collective protests to safeguard the interests of the working class. The trade union movement will continue the struggle."